The Tesla Semi Electric Truck Just Got a Huge New Customer

The Tesla Semi has scored a big news customer, ahead of the electric truck’s planned rollout in 2019. Albertsons Companies, a major American food and drug retailer headquartered in Idaho, announced last week that the company will add 10 Teslas to its fleet to service stores in Southern California.

The decision is a big win for Tesla, which is making a bold move into a new market with the launch of the Semi. Albertsons Companies owns over 1,400 trucks, meaning the Semi order is a relatively small commitment, but a successful rollout could encourage larger industry investments. The Semis will service Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions stores as part of the company’s commitment to promote efficient freight distribution. Tom Nartker, vice president for transportation, said in a statement that “advancing supply chain efficiency and sustainability is an important goal for our company. We’re excited to pilot this expansion of our transportation program with trucks that help us limit our overall carbon footprint.”

Tesla has been gradually raking up more industry orders ever since its announcement in November 2017. Delivery firm UPS reserved a staggering 125, while PepsiCo picked up another 100. J.B. Hunt has ordered 40, while restaurant firm Sysco has placed an order for 50. Walmart announced in September plans to order 30 Semis, adding onto the 15 pre-orders from 2017.

The Semi is set to come in two variants: a 300-mile model retailing for $150,000, and a 500-mile model that comes in at $180,000. It’s possible that industry buyers have received a bulk discount from Tesla, but nothing has been confirmed. The truck is set to consume less than two kilowatt-hours per mile, with an acceleration time from 0 to 60 mph in just 20 seconds with 80,000 pounds of cargo. It also has a drag coefficient of just 0.36.